Stitch-transferring device.



W. D. BUTZ.

STITCH TRANSFERRING DEVICE.

APPLIOATIUN FILED JANJl, 1910. RENBWED JULY 6, 1912. 858 Patented July 29, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. D. BUTZ.

STITCH TRANSPERRING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED Juul. 1910. RBNEWBD JULY s, 1912.

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WTTED STATES PATENT FFTQE.

VVAL'IEBI I). BUTZ, OF NORRISTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUIS N. D. WILLIAMS, 0F OGONTZ, PENNSYLVANIA.

STITCH-TRANSFERRING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1913.

Application filed January 11, 1910, Serial No. 537,578. Renewed July 6 1912. Serial No. 708,063.

Td all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WALTER D. BUTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing in Norristown, Pennsylvania, have invented certain lmprovements in Stitch-Transferring Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the stitches may, with very little labor or loss of time, be transferred from the needles of one knitting machine to those of another, or from t-he needles of a knitting machine to the points of a looping machine, the device also providing means whereby the stitches throughout part of a course in a knitted web may be doubled with the stitches throughout the remaining portion of said course, in order that the doubled stitches may be united, or, as it is usually termed, looped, by means of a course of stitches engaging the same, as in closing the toe pocket formed upon the foot portion of a stocking, t-he device, in its preferred form, being susceptible of receiving the stitches of the last co-urse of a tubular web directly from the needles of a circular knitting machine upon which said tubular web has been knitted, then folding one-halt of said tubular web back upon the other half, doubling `the stitches around the half course in said folded portion with those around the half course in the other portion and applying these doubled stitches to the points of the looping machine, whereby they may be united.

ln the accompanying drawings-Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention, and adapted for use in connection with tubular webs, the part-s being shown in the position which they assume when receiving the stitches from the needles of the machine upon which the web was knitted; Fig. 2 is a similar section illustrating the relation of the parts in respect to one another when the doubling of the stitches around one-half of the tubular web with those around the other half of the Same is to be eiiected; Fig. 3 is a face view of part of the device; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section,

partly on the line a-a, and partly on line -Za Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical sect-ion on the line o o, Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a view of a stitch-receiving member designed for use in connection with a fine gage machine.

The device shown in the drawing, comprises a ring 1, recessed, as at 2, for the reception of a pair of semi-circular ring segments 3 and 3, the ring segment 3 being secured to the ring 1, as by one or more screws 4, but the ring segment 3a being coniined to said ring l by means of a spring-actuated latch 4, or equivalent device, whereby it may be disconnected from said ring 1, when such release is desired. The ring 1 is further recessed, as at 5, for the reception of various instrumentalities carried by the ring segments 3 and 3a. As these instrumentalities are substantially the same upon each of said segments, a detailed description of those of one segment only will suiiice, and l will therefore describe the parts carried by the ring segment 3, the corresponding parts of the ring segment 3 being indicated by the same reference numerals with the addition of the letter a.

lithin the segment 3 is a segment composed of upper and lower members 6 and 7 secured together and to the segment 3 by means of one or more screws 9, or equivalent fastenings, the lower segment 7 being slotted for the reception and guidance of a plurality of fingers, pins, points, needles or equivalent stitch-receiving members 10 which, for convenience, I have termed quills this being the term commonly applied to the corresponding members of an ordinary stitch transfer head or ring. The quills 10 are pivoted at their upper ends, as at 11, and normally drawn inward or toward the center of the segment by means of a coiled spring 12 contained in a groove 13 formed in the segment 7. Each of the quills 10 is hollow or U-shaped in its upper portion for the recept-ion of the upper portion ot' a needle of the knitting machine, as shown by dotted lines in Figui, but the quill terminates at its lower end in a thin and relatively elastic finger 14 which can fit I snugly against the back of the needle and pass between the same and the stitch carried by the needle.

Upon each of the quills 10 is formed a lug 15, beveled on its inner face, and these lugs engage with the beveled outer face of a rib 16, formed around the lower portion of a segment 17, which is slotted, as at 19, for the reception of one or more screws 20, whereby it is secured to the segment 7 so as to be susceptible of a slight amount of vertical motion thereon, whereby its beveled rib 1G may, as shown in Fig. 1, act upon the beveled lugs 15 of the quills 10 to thrust the latter outwardly, or, by raising the segment 17, the lugs 15 may be freed from the pressure of the rib 16 and the quills 10 therefore permitted to swing inwardly under the action ofthe spring 12. By reason of this construction the quills may receive stitches from the needles of a knitting machine of one diameter and transfer said stitches to the needles of a knitting machine of another diameter, or to the points of a looping machine of a different diameter from that of the machine upon which a knitted web has been produced. Vertical movements are imparted to the segment 17 by means of a segment 21 mounted upon the top of the segment 7 and having one or more cam slots 22 therein (see dotted lines Fig. 1) for the reception of one orV more pins 23 on the segment 17.

Inside of the segment 17, and between the same and the lower portion of the ring 1, is a segment 24, terminating at its lower end in an outwardly projecting flange 25, slotted so as to form ribs or lingers 2G which project between the quills 10. The segment 24 is confined to the lower portion of the ring 1 by means of a screw 27 which is adapted to a vertical slot 29 in the ring 1, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with an enlarged head 30 on the inner side of the ring so that the segment 24 and its slotted flange 25 can be readily raised and lowered by hand. Preferably, the segment 24 carried by the ring segment 3 is provided with a slot 29 and is guided upon the head of the screw 20, whereby the segment 17 is confined to the segment 7, the segment 24 being thus free from any connection with the lower portion of the ring 1.

The cam segment 21 can be operated in any available way so as to raise and lower the segment 17. In the present instance, I have shown said cam segment as provided with a tongue 31 projecting through a slot 32 in the recessed or shouldered portion 5 of the ring 1.

The ring segments 3 and 3 are pivoted together at each side of the ring 1 by means such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the latter illustrating the pivotal means for the ring segments at one side of the ring 1, and the pivotal means at the opposite side of said ring being precisely the same. The members of the pivotal device are the same for each segment, hence I will describe only the members used in connection with the segment 3, those used in connection with the segment 3 bearing corresponding reference numbers to which have been added the distinguishing letter a.

In the face of the ring segment 3, adjacent to the edge of the same, is formed a dovetailed groove 33, to which is adapted a dovetailed tongue 34 upon a slide 35, the latter having, at its lower end, a hinge member 36 similar to that of an ordinary rule joint, the hinge members of the cooperating slides being coupled by means of an axial pin or stud 37, as shown in Fig. 3.

The slide 35 can be supported in two different vertical positions upon the ring segment 3, the latter having vertically spaced notches 39 and 40, as shown in Fig. 5, and the slide 35 carrying a spring-actuated pin 41 with enlarged head, whereby it may be readily manipulated, this pin engaging the upper notch 39 when the slide 35 is in its raised position and engaging the lower notch 40 when the slide is in its lowered position, and, in either case, locking the slide in the position to which it had been adjusted. lVhen the slide is in the elevated position, the pivot joint is above and out of the way of the quills 10 so that it does not interfere with the proper application of the latter to the needles of' the knitting machine, but, when the slide is in its lowered position, the axis of the hinge joint is in line with the points of the quills and midway between an end quill of one ring segment and an end quill of the opposite ring segment, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Mounted upon the slide 35 are a pair of spring hooks 42 whose lower ends are in line horizontally with the axis of the hinge pin or stud 37, the normal position of these spring hooks being the retracted position shown by full lines in Fig. 5, that is to say with the points of the hooks some distance outwardly beyond the quills 10. IVhen, however, the slide 35 is lowered, the hoolrs 42 may be thrust inward by depressing a slide 43 mounted upon the slide 35 so as to be movable vertically thereon, said mounting being effected, in the present instance, by adapting inwardly projecting ribs or flanges on the ends of the slide to corresponding grooves in the opposite sides of the slide 35. By preference, one of the spring hooks 42 is bent at its lower end so that it can pass through the center of the pivot pin or stud 37 of the hinge, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the device the ring segments 3 and 3 are first adjusted in respect to the carrying ring 1, as shown in Fig. 1, and the cam segments 21 and 21 are adjusted so as to raise the segments 17 and 17 and thereby relieve the quills 10 and 10 from the outward thrust of the cam ribs 16 and 16a of said segments, the quills being drawn inward by reason of the springs 12 and 12a. The quills are then applied to the raised needles of the knitting machine and the segments 17 and 17a are depressed so as to thrust the fingers 14 and 14a at the lower ends of the quills firmly against the backs of the needles, the ring 1 being then depressed so that the points of the said fingers will project below the top of the needle cylinder whereby, when the needles are retracted, they will cast their stitches onto the fingers 14 and 14a of the quills. The knitted web is then drawn up through the interior of the ring 1 and the latter is removed from the knitting machine, the end course of stitches of the web now hanging upon the quills. These operations are performed while the hinge slides 35 and 35a are in the elevated position but the slides are now depressed to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, so as to bring the axial points of the hinges into line with the points of the quills. At the saine time, the slides 43 are operated so as to depress the spring hooks 42 and cause the ends of the same to pass between and proj ect slightly inward beyond the po-ints of certain of the quills, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The segment 81 is then unlocked from the ring 1 and said segment is swung around to the position shown in F ig. 2, so as to bring the point of each of the quills 10a into contact with the point of its corresponding quill 10, or by making one set of quills somewhat longer than the other set and slightly out of line therewith, the points of the quills may be caused to overlap when the parts are adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 2. The result of this movement of the segment 3a is to cause one-half of the tubular knitted web to be folded over upon the other half, each stitch around the edge of the folded portion of the web being now in line with its corresponding stitch around the edge of the other half of the web. The retaining hooks 42 and 42a are now withdrawn, and the segment 24a is projected so as to cause its fingers 26"L to strip the stitches from the quills 10a and apply them to the quills 10, the segment 24al being then retracted and the ring segment 3a restored to its former position and again locked to the ring 1. rThe quills 10 can now be applied to the stitch-receiving points of one-half of an ordinary circular looping machine and the stitches can be transferred from the quills to said points, either simultaneously, by the action thereupon of the fingers 2G of the segment 24 when the latter is moved downward, or the stitches can be pushed from the quills 10 onto the looper points by hand, in which case the use of the movable segment 24 in connection with the ring segment 3 will not be necessary. The projection and retraction of the segments 24 and 241 are effected by hand, the maintenance of these segments in their normal or retracted position being due to the frictional hold of the same upon the parts adjacent thereto.

To permit of the folding of one portion of the web over upon the other, it is necessary that the stitches at and near the pivotal axis cf the segments 3 and 3a shall be close to the points of the quills 10 and 10a, when the segment 3a is swung from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, in order that there may be no lateral strain upon the stitches, as there would be if they occupied positions more or less remote from the points of the quills. Before swinging the segment 3a, therefore, the stitches at and near the pivotal axes of the hinges are moved down close to the points of the quills and the function of the spring hooks 42 is to prevent their release from the points of the quills at such time.

My invention provides a convenient and effective means for performing an operation which is now performed by hand and which requires the employment of skilled labor and is therefore expensive.

Many modifications of structural detail within the scope of my invention may also be devised by those skilled in the art and my broader claims are drawn with the view of covering such modifications.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills and supporting means therefor, adjustable to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or the quills of one set to point toward the quills of the other set.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills and supporting devices therefor, provided with a pivotal connection whereby the quills of both sets may be caused to point in the same direction or one set of quills may be caused to point toward the other set.

3. in a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills and supporting devices therefor, providcd with a pivotal connection whereby the quills of both sets may be caused to point in the same direction or one set of quills may be caused to point` toward the other set, said pivotal connection having its axis between the end quills of the two sets and adjacent to the points of the same.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills and supporting devices therefor, adjustable so as to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or those of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for transferring stitches from one set of quills to the other when they are in the latter position.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supporting devices therefor, adjustable so as to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or those of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for moving the quills in a direction transversely to their length.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supporting devices therefor, adjustable so as to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or those of one set to point toward those of the other set, means for moving the quills in a direction transversely to their length, and means for transferring stitches from one set of quills to the other when they are pointing toward each other.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receivingl quills, means for supporting the same, and a pivotal connection whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or one set may be caused to point toward the other set, said pivotal connection being movable into and out of line with the points of the quills.

S. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitclbreceiving quills, means for supporting the same, a pivotal connection whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or one set may be caused to point toward the other set, said pivotal connection being movable into and out of line with the points of the quills, and means for locking it in either of its positions of adjustment.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supports therefor provided with pivotal connection, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or those of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, a carrier for said quill supports, and means for locking the quill supports to said carrier.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supports therefor provided with pivotal connection, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or those of one set may be caused to point to-ward those of the other set, a carrier for said quill supports, and means for locking thc quill supports to said carrier, one of said locking devices being releasable.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supports therefor having pivotal connection, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, and slides mounted on said supports and carrying said pivotal connection.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supports therefor having pivotal connection whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward the quills of the other set, and retainers whereby the stitches are prevented from escaping from the points of the quills while their relation to one another is being changed.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supports therefor having pivotal connection whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward the quills of the other set, retainers whereby the stitches are prevented from escaping from the points of the quills while their relation to one another is being changed, and means for adjusting said retainers to operative or inoperative position.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supports therefor having a pivotal connect-ion whereby the quills may be adjusted so that both sets point iu the same direction or the quills of one set point toward those of the other set, and retainers for preventing` escape of the stitches from the quills while their relation to one another is being changed, certain of said retainers being coincident with the pivotal axes of the quill supports.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, adjustable supports therefor whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, and means for stripping the stitches from a set of quills.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-receiving quills, supports therefor adjustable so as to cause both sets of quills to point in the same direction and the quills of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for transferring the stitches from the quills of one set to those of the other set.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination of two sets of stitch-re ceiving quills, adjustable supports therefor, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, spring hooks serving to retain the stitches upon the quills, and means for acting upon said spring hooks to project the same into retaining position.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination of two sets of pivoted quills each having a beveled lug thereon, supports for said quills adjustable so as to cause both sets of quills to point in the same direction or the quills of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for acting upon the beveled lugs of the quills to cause said quills to swing in a direction transverse to their length.

19. In a device of the character described, the combination of two sets ofpivoted quills each having a beveled lug thereon, supports for said quills adjustable so as to cause both sets of quills to point in the same direction or the quills of one set to point toward those of the other set, means for acting upon the beveled lugs of the quills to cause said quills to swing in a direction transverse to their length, and elastic means for restoring the quills to their normal position.

20. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of studi-receiving quills and supporting segments therefor, adjustable to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or the quills of one set to point toward the quills of the other set.

21. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills and suportin segments therefor arovided with P :s t a pivotal connections whereby the quills of bot-h sets may be caused to point in the same direction or one set of quills may be caused to point toward the other set.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills and supportingv segments therefor, provided with pivotal connections whereby the quills of both sets may be caused to point in the same direction or one set of quills may be caused to point toward the other set, said pivotal connections having their axes between the end quills of the two sets and adjacent to the points of the same.

23. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circu- -lar sets of stitch-receiving quills and supporting segments therefor, adjustable so as to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or those of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for transferring stitches from one set of quills to the other when they are in the latter position.

24. In a machine of the character described, the combination ofI two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, supporting segments therefor, adjustable so as to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or those of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for moving the quills in a direction transversely to their length.

25. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, supporting segments therefor, adjustable so as to cause the quills of both sets to point in the same direction or those of one set to point toward those of the other set, means for moving the quills in a direction transversely to their length, and means for transferring stitches of one set of quills to the other when they are pointing toward each other.

26. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segments for supporting the same, and pivotal connections whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or one set may be caused to point toward the other set, said pivotal connections being movable into and out of line with the points of thequills.

27. In a machine of the4 character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segments for supporting the same, pivotal connections whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or one set may be caused to point toward the other set, said pivotal connections being movable into and out of line with the points of the quills, and means for locking them in either of their positions of adjustment.

28. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segmental supports therefor provided with pivotal connections, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or those of one set maj7 be caused to point t0- ward those of the other set, a ring carrying` said quillssupporting segments, and means for locking said segments to said ring.

29. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segmental supports therefor provided with pivotal connections, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or those of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, a ring carrying said quill-supporting segments, and means for locking the segments to said ring, one of Said locking devices being releasable.

30. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, seglio mental supports therefor having pivotal connections, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, and slides mounted on said segments and carrying said pivotal connections.

3l. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segmental supports therefor having pivotal connections whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward the quills of the other set, and retainers whereby the stitches are prevented from escaping from the points of the quills while their relation to one another is being changed.

32. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segmental supports therefor having pivotal connections whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward the quills of the other set, retainers whereby the stitches are prevented from escaping from the points of the quills while their relation to one another is being changed, and means for adjusting said retainers to operative or inoperative position.

33. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segmental supports therefor having pivotal connections whereby the quills may be adjusted so that both sets point in the same direction or the quills of one set point toward those of the other set, and retainers for preventing escape of the stitches from the quills while their relation to one another is being changed, certain of said retainers being coincident with the pivotal axes of the quill supporting segments.

311-. In a machine of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, adjustable segmental supports therefor whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, and means for stripping the stitches from a set of quills.

35. In a device of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of stitch-receiving quills, segmental supports therefor adjustable so as to cause both sets of quills to point in the same direction and the quills of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for transferring the stitches from the quills of one set to those of the other set.

3G. In a device of the character described, the combination of two semiwcircular sets of stitch-receiving quills, adjustable segmental supports therefor, whereby both sets of quills may be caused to point in the same direction or the quills of one set may be caused to point toward those of the other set, spring hooks serving to retain the stitches upon the quills, and means acting upon said spring hooks to project the same into retaining position.

37. In a device of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of pivoted quills each having a beveled lug thereon, segmental supports for said quills adjustable so as to cause both sets of quills to point in the same direction or the quills of one set to point toward those of the other set, and means for acting upon the beveled lugs of the quills to cause said quills to swing in a direction transverse to their length.

38. In a device of the character described, the combination of two semi-circular sets of pivoted quills each having a beveled lug thereon, segmental supports for said quills adjustable so as to cause both sets of quills to point in the same direction or the quills of one set to point toward those of the other set, means for acting upon the beveled lugsof the quills to cause said quills to swing in a direction transverse to their length, and elastic means for restoring the quills to their normal position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- IVALTER D. BUTZ.

1Witnesses KATE A. BEADLE, HAMILTON D. TURNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained fol` five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

